Help with cabin selection - first cruise

[sdfamily]

After much reading on this board, we finally settled on a s/b Alaska cruise on the Spirit in June. Now, I'm trying to pick the cabins. Our party consists of 2 grandparents, 2 parents, 3 boys (9, 7, and 1). I am currently holding cabins 7351 and 7302 (I booked online) . My questions are:

 

- Are these aft cabins better than an extended balcony on the port side?

- As the baby will be in a pack and play, will they let me book a triple as we won't need the upper berth? These cabins are marked with a * (triple).

 

Thanks for your help and wish me luck!

[VentureMan_2000]

For an Alaskain cruise, I would think an aft cabin would preferable as this trip is all about the views.

 

You can book a triple-bed is you want, but your youngster will still be considered a full paying passenger, at the 3rd/4th passenger discount because he's a 3rd/4th passenger in a room. I see you went ahead and booked triples. Otherwise I would go ahead and book the quad since you are paying for it anyway.

 

Call Carnival and ask (1-800-CARNIVAL). You may want to call about 5 or 6 times as you are likely to get a different answer each time.

 

Just so you are not shocked:

 

Anyone cruising, regardless of age, is considered a passenger... even a 1 year old. :eek: This means that all your children will also pay the $5 per person, per day for fuel surcharge, as well as the $10 per person, per day for gratuities... regardless of you children's ages.

 

Enjoy your cruise. :)

[firefly333]

Since there are 7 of you, are you sure they allow 4 in a triple if one is a baby? Id call Carnival and double check their policy unless someone has the printed policy here. I thought the 4th person regardless of age was the 4th person and not allowed in a triple...but I could easily be wrong. I think a triple will only have 3 life vests, so only 3 people allowed no matter what their age.

 

Host Mach?? I bet he knows.

[VentureMan_2000]

You can also arrange to have a crib brought to your room, or a roll-away bed.

[sdfamily]

I have no problem paying for the baby (4th person). I get that.

 

But, as far as room selection, if I don't need the upper berth, why can't I book the triple room? I called and they said I have to book a quad. Which means I can't have the aft rooms. Bummer!

 

I think I'll keep calling back and see what they say.

[VentureMan_2000]

Tell them that you only want a crib... not a 4th bed... as your child is only 1 year old. Tell them you child can't sleep in a bed. Seems to me that a crib should count as a bed. Or even a roll-aweigh bed. What is the point of either if they don't count as a bed.

[firefly333]

I have no problem paying for the baby (4th person). I get that.

 

But, as far as room selection, if I don't need the upper berth, why can't I book the triple room? I called and they said I have to book a quad. Which means I can't have the aft rooms. Bummer!

 

I think I'll keep calling back and see what they say.

 

Only so many persons are allowed per life raft and a person is a person no matter what age. They wouldnt bring you a 4th life vest as far as I know, so thats why you cant book a quad, its nothing to do with the beds. Its a coast guard issue with how they count pax.

 

Hopefully someone who can explain this better will post...

[sdfamily]

Ah, ha. I called back and said "if I have 2 adults, 1 child, and 1 child in a crib, can I book a triple and a crib?". She said yes. I got her extension and will book through her.

[firefly333]

Ah, ha. I called back and said "if I have 2 adults, 1 child, and 1 child in a crib, can I book a triple and a crib?". She said yes. I got her extension and will book through her.

 

yea, glad you got the answer you want. Good to know.

[sdfamily]

As far as the life vest thing goes, I'm thinking an adult vest is not going to fit on a 1-year old. Wouldn't they need to bring another one anyway?

[firefly333]

As far as the life vest thing goes, I'm thinking an adult vest is not going to fit on a 1-year old. Wouldn't they need to bring another one anyway?

 

Yes, they do have children's vests they will bring. As long as they will book all 4 into the cabin, use that Carnival rep, now its their problem.

 

glad you found someone with a different answer, call and call back they say until you get the answer you want.

 

PS i did read a review by someone who never got the children's vests delivered and she went on and on about how it was a safety hazard and wanted money back from the cruiseline. Hopefully, your cabin steward will be on the ball better.

[Tapi]

Ah, ha. I called back and said "if I have 2 adults, 1 child, and 1 child in a crib, can I book a triple and a crib?". She said yes. I got her extension and will book through her.

 

Please keep us posted and let us know if this agent is able to switch your cabins. My understanding is that if a cabin is designed for 3 guests, they can't add a crib because then the cabin will be holding 4 guests instead of 3 (regardless of age).

 

Someone suggested that you call the 800 Carnival number over and over. In my humble opinion, you should've select a PVP to take care of all of your travel plans, specially since it's your first cruise. That way you would've had one person who would get to know you and handle of all of your questions, instead of relying on the internet. It would've taken a huge weight off your shoulder.

 

Also, since you booked online, are your cabins linked together for dinner? Make sure as you might be surprised when you get on the ship that you're eating at one time and table, and the other cabin is eating at another time and table. This is one of those small things where having a PVP might come in handy to assist you...

[sdfamily]

Ok..I finally called the travel agency where I got the brochure and got a reasonable answer. It has to do with the number of people in a life boat. I'm assuming that cabins x, y, and z are assigned together. If everyone in cabin x, y, and z had an infant, there would be 3 extra people.

 

On the deck plans they should say max. number of people instead of all the business with sofa bed, etc.

 

Now, it seems that there are very little balcony cabins with a quad and a quad/triple next to each other.

 

I'm a DIY vacation planner, but I think I'll have the travel agency work on this one.

 

Thanks for your help. Those aft cabins will soon be available......They look great!

[firefly333]

Ok..I finally called the travel agency where I got the brochure and got a reasonable answer. It has to do with the number of people in a life boat. I'm assuming that cabins x, y, and z are assigned together. If everyone in cabin x, y, and z had an infant, there would be 3 extra people.

 

On the deck plans they should say max. number of people instead of all the business with sofa bed, etc.

 

Now, it seems that there are very little balcony cabins with a quad and a quad/triple next to each other.

 

I'm a DIY vacation planner, but I think I'll have the travel agency work on this one.

 

Thanks for your help. Those aft cabins will soon be available......They look great!

 

Well, thats what I said above in both posts, it had to do with how many people were slated for each life raft. life raft, life boat as they told you, same as I explained above, why I was pretty sure they would not allow it. sorry but I did try to explain why I was almost 100% sure why they wouldnt allow it, and when you said one would, I said book it fast.

 

Yes, a triple, that means max 3, thats what it means. sorry I couldnt explain it better.

[firefly333]

Only so many persons are allowed per life raft and a person is a person no matter what age.

 

The first line of this post above I said the same thing you just found out. I called them life raft, your TA called the life boats, same darn thing.

[sea_u_onboard]

Just so you are not shocked:

Anyone cruising, regardless of age, is considered a passenger... even a 1 year old. :eek: This means that all your children will also pay the $5 per person, per day for fuel surcharge, as well as the $10 per person, per day for gratuities... regardless of you children's ages.

 

Enjoy your cruise. :)

Well part of this is correct. No matter the age you must pay cruise passage and taxes. Fuel surcharge is only applied to first two in cabin so unless there is going to be one adult in the cabin with the baby then the baby will not be paying fuel charge. First 2 in cabin regarless of age will pay fuel charge - 3rd and 4th persons do not pay fuel surcharge. Children under the age of 2 do not pay tips (check Carnival FAQ's).

[firefly333]

Children under the age of 2 do not pay tips (check Carnival FAQ's).

 

There was a thread a couple of days ago where folks said they could no longer find this language on the FAQs that children dont pay tips if they are under age 2, and then someone else posted his child was under 2 and was charged tips.

 

Tried to do a search for the thread and got a database error.

[sea_u_onboard]

There was a thread a couple of days ago where folks said they could no longer find this language on the FAQs that children dont pay tips if they are under age 2, and then someone else posted his child was under 2 and was charged tips.

 

Tried to do a search for the thread and got a database error.

Really! WOW! So sad really. I know that tipping causes a big debate on this board and I really don't want to start the debate - but if I was bringing a 1 year old on I might think about adjusting that tip. I'm not saying they are no messy - they are. I was going to say (in the last post) that I would give something anyhow - but to tip the full amount - just not sure about that one. I'm going to have to think about that.

 

Thanks for letting me know - I'll need to update my website.

[PINEVIEW01]

Ah, ha. I called back and said "if I have 2 adults, 1 child, and 1 child in a crib, can I book a triple and a crib?". She said yes. I got her extension and will book through her.

I dont think she understood you. Tapi is correct, you can not book four in a triple, even in a pac-n-play. We booked a suite gty once because we knew they had to put us in the cat 12 as a cat 11 is a triple. It is a life guard thing. You still have to have a quad. You just don't use the bed, use pac=n=play or crib..

[sdfamily]

I get it now. I'm from Kansas (which is next door to Missouri, the show-me-state) . I just need to understand the reasoning